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Permalink Reply by Avyon on September 30, 2008 at 6:22pm

Ahhhhh now I get it :) Thanks for that answer. Next time we buy Roxi's food I'll scrub out the container and just put the original bag inside the airtight container. Was just gunna rip off the information but now I'll keep the whole bag.

This is why I love the people on this site ^_^

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Permalink Reply by Jessica on September 30, 2008 at 9:52pm

I clean the container between bags- it is airtight- and there were no holes on the bottom- and no trail or really any ants on the outside of the container at all. It was heinous!

Considering recalls and what not and what you guys have said I think I will keep it in the original packaging from now on.

Sam- that is an awesome idea- I'll try that with both the dogs' food and with rice (I cook a lot with rice).

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Permalink Reply by Michael on October 1, 2008 at 11:58am

I had ant problems with regular bin containers. I bought one of those dog food containers with a screw-on lid that has rubber seals. I've never had a bug problem with dog food since then. When I did have ants, they weren't larvae though. I didn't worry if there was a health issue when I did have ants, I just saved what I could if there were only a few ants and discarded the food if there was a big contamination.

I don't buy the argument about leaving the dog food in the original bag. If anything, there may be a very slim chance that pests, or chemicals attached themselves to the outer side of the bag. But I don't worry about that either.

I often fold the bag and stick it into the container since there's room. It's not necessary obviously but sometimes I check if the ingredients change when I buy a new bag. Surprisingly, there sometimes is a slight change though insignificant so far. Also, visitors sometimes ask what dog food I'm feeding so I tell them and literally show them the bag. Weird, huh? lol.

I only have one dog, a corgi obviously. I buy 12 pound (or so) bags so the food stays relatively fresh. It's more economical than the smaller bags. The larger sizes take too long to finish to me. And though they're more economical, the savings aren't as big as upgrading from the small bag to the medium-sized bag .

I would also note, I make sure the container is entirely finished and emptied before pouring a new bag. I haven't bothered with washing the inside mostly because I don't want any additional moisture to end up in there. Of course I could leave it out to dry to make sure but I just haven't bothered since that means leaving the new dog food in the bag a little longer. I'll probably clean it thoroughly in the future though.

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Permalink Reply by Butter on October 1, 2008 at 9:54pm

My advice is to throw the whole bag into your freezer or deep freeze; this is what my breeder told me to do. This would prohibit anything from growing. Take out some for a few days at a time. Now at this point I agree with Aloha. I think she is right about the plastics absorbing oils, rancid food etc. Right now I keep enough for a few days in a hard plastic, sealed container. However, maybe I should be lining it with tinfoil or a casserole dish with a covered lid...yes, i think that is what i am going to do.
So my new plan is...the original bag in the freezer and enough for a few days at a time in a covered casserole dish.

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Permalink Reply by Nancy Geddes on October 2, 2008 at 7:15am

Wow! I never thought of the freezer concept and it does make lots of sense. My only problem is that I have three corgis and 33 lb. bags at a time! It could be broken down into gallon ziplock bags. Since Bear, Tasha and Linus go through 33 lbs. in about 40 days, I use an elevated, small metal garbage can to contain the bulk while moving three day's or so supply upstairs. Glass or stainless steel would be good choices upstairs.
All the best from Bear, Tasha and Linus, Williamsburg, VA

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Permalink Reply by Laurie on October 2, 2008 at 7:33pm

There is a type of grain moth that lays eggs in any type of grain product. Sometimes you can see the adults flying around the dog food aisle in a store. Also if you look at the bags, you can sometimes see little wormlike larva attached to the bag by a weblike substance. Years ago, I worked at a major retailer and we would have to pull every bag of food off the counter and wipe down the counters with bleach to prevent these pests. My grandma once ate a bowl of Wheaties and when she got down to just the milk she found several little red ants floating in the milk. I wonder if the ants were attracted to the smell of the food and entered through a tiny opening just like your dog food.

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Permalink Reply by Avyon on October 3, 2008 at 1:20pm

ohhh bird food is HORRIBLE for this. My dad is a bird nut and keeps huge seed bags in the garage, the problem with that is they used to keep the dog food in a metal can out there too. He learned quickly to move the dog food inside to a better situation hahaha.

The worst part about taking care of their house while they were gone was scooping it out into the feeders and having these little worms crawl all over your arms and moths fly up and around you BLEEEEH! :) Birds loved it though and it was worth it in the end.

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Permalink Reply by Sarah C. on October 3, 2008 at 2:04pm

I think this is most likely. It would be wierd for ants to get into it during packaging since they package it so fast? When I worked in retail, packages always got punctured while opening boxes. I think what probably happened is the bag had a slit, ants got in and couldnt get out (if they could get out easily, then food would have come out of the bag) and when it was emptied into the container, they were trapped until they were found.
Also, weevils are gross.

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